Hi clarymoo,We too have been switched from Arden to Como Homes as we have designed a house with Inspired Homes. I was hoping for an update on your house build. Did your land title in March? I was googling Como homes to see if there was any further info apart from the quick phone call to us that Arden weren’t the builder anymore...I’m wondering on the quality of the workman etc. Hope to trade stories soon (our land is meant to title mid-June).

Hi Marcel,

We titled in April after a long drawn out process between the land actually titling and then my bank stuffing things round till the last minute. It was an effort but we got there.

Can't remember if I updated the thread but we had to make some structural changes to the floor plan, add in a split level due to the fall of our land and the way the back retaining wall is constructed, they can't cut in flat like we wanted to. We signed off that variation last week and I have just asked CK for an update today.

Hoping to have site costs and everything ready this week so we can sign off final plans and get to council for the dispensation and permit. We're close and so ready to go.

I'll keep everyone updates as we go, will be interesting to see if our SS comes from Arden or someone new.

Good luck with everything, Are you happy with inspired homes till now? I am still thinking abt them. Pls keep posting your experience.

Yes still happy with our choice. Our land settlement was intense and it was a bit dissappointing that we had to change from a single level to a split. The site costs are taking a long time but I assume them to be ready by the end of the week and all systems go.

I will update as we move forward with feedback once we have a ss and start dealing with Comos tradies but so far yes still happy with our decision.

Site costs are back, a small amount over budget but as we are now essentially having 2 split levels across the entire house and garage it's reasonable and not unexpected. Also waffle pod slab and a lot of screw piles. Final contracts drawing etc should come this week and hopefully things are in place for site start next Friday.

Very good to hear! Our slab has been delayed unfortunately! Was meant to go in Tuesday, but now if we are lucky it is due to be poured on Friday! Given the poor weather though I think we will be lucky if it is down this time next week! Will find out tomorrow! We are due for timber to arrive first thing Tuesday after the long weekend, but I think that is not going to happen...

Site costs are back, a small amount over budget but as we are now essentially having 2 split levels across the entire house and garage it's reasonable and not unexpected. Also waffle pod slab and a lot of screw piles. Final contracts drawing etc should come this week and hopefully things are in place for site start next Friday.

First delay and we haven't even started at site yet lol. My CSA forgot about the dispensation we need to apply for, for our tall garage, and she's gone off on 2 weeks holidays now so her colleague needs to organise the dispensation application for us this week. Also we have a few minor adjustments/questions on our final plans to be ironed out but nothing major.

We went out to our block this weekend, as we do every weekend, only to discover someone's builder has dumped a couple of loads of fill soil on our and our neighbour's block. Pretty sure it's come from the block over the road to us as there are not many blocks in our release that have started site cut yet. I am hoping that by the time we go back next weekend it has been cleaned up. We tried to find the owners of said block in the Estate Facebook Group but to no avail so I have asked Como to contact the builder to ask them to clean up the fill. A bit annoying but like I said I do really hope it was just a temporary thing and will be gone soon. Worst comes to worst my current neighbour has a bob cat so I'll shout him a slab of whatever to go and shove the fill back onto the other site or even just onto the road.

So site start was meant to be this Friday but will be however long the dispensation takes to get approved.

May as well update while I'm here. Applied for the dispensation on the 14th but still waiting to hear back from the council. They mention on their website it can take up to 3 weeks so no stress. In the mean time our final finance has come through and the loan is live in our online banking .. yay (not really). As soon as we get the dispensation we should be good to book a site start date in,

Dispensation was rejected yesterday as we were way, way over the maximum height for our garage wall. Como has since come up with a solution where they have dropped the roof on the garage only. They took the initiative to contact council and we have verbal approval on the new garage height. Como have sent the application on our behalf and changes made today to the plans have no charge to us. Council will grant formal approval by the end of next week and we hope to go to site start finally by the end of the month. September will be 2 years since we put the deposit on the land.

Below is the original facade, the garage is lower than the house, 2 steps down from the hall to the garage. The garage door is taller than standard but I didn't like the huge gap between the top of the door and the roof/gutter

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ ShareNew facade as of today. Looks so much better from the front I think. The render above the garage door will be the darker of the 2 colours we have around the front door.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Share

To date I still cannot fault Como, although the delays and changes and rejections have been annoying, my CA has always kept us informed of everything along the way and they way they dealt with the council rejection yesterday and today has been fantastic. Not sure if I mentioned my future back neighbour is also building with Inspired/Como and is at frame stage and is happy with her SS and the build so far. I assume we will have the same SS.

Dispensation was rejected yesterday as we were way, way over the maximum height for our garage wall. Como has since come up with a solution where they have dropped the roof on the garage only. They took the initiative to contact council and we have verbal approval on the new garage height. Como have sent the application on our behalf and changes made today to the plans have no charge to us. Council will grant formal approval by the end of next week and we hope to go to site start finally by the end of the month. September will be 3 years since we put the deposit on the land.

Below is the original facade, the garage is lower than the house, 2 steps down from the hall to the garage. The garage door is taller than standard but I didn't like the huge gap between the top of the door and the roof/gutter

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ ShareNew facade as of today. Looks so much better from the front I think. The render above the garage door will be the darker of the 2 colours we have around the front door.

Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Share

To date I still cannot fault Como, although the delays and changes and rejections have been annoying, my CA has always kept us informed of everything along the way and they way they dealt with the council rejection yesterday and today has been fantastic. Not sure if I mentioned my future back neighbour is also building with Inspired/Como and is at frame stage and is happy with her SS and the build so far. I assume we will have the same SS.